Book Review : ‘Virgin Gingelly’ by V Sanjay Kumar

I honestly do not know how to begin this review. V Sanjay Kumar’s ‘Virgin Gingelly’ is a beautiful concoction, all through.  I guess, I was equally confused and since I can be a confused person at times, I must say that this book picked its odd reviewer. We could call it a bad book and end it there, but there was something else is the book, an aroma of sorts, which kept me going right through.

The book is not about oil, not about virgins and definitely not about Kathakali.The book seems to be speaking for the author, and so we have a struggling writer who, I guess is the protagonist, because it seemed like the story ended around him. How it began is another chapter, altogether. 

The place where it all happens is Rainbow Colony in Chennai, which is a melting pot since so much seems to happen here. So, we have the protagonist, a wife, a dog, old people from the colony, a poor businessman, a singer, an inspector, a matchmaker, a priest and ‘The Hindu’ who all play parts in this narration. There are a few other characters, as well but not enough to keep the reader’s attention. There are births, deaths, and events which make up a life, and we are stuck between the modern and the traditional. 

Basically, the story runs round and round and so, you do miss the end. There is prose and poetry in the narration, which cannot be ignored. It almost captures your imagination yet, it forgets about the reader halfway through it. It felt like words and thoughts, which the author has put together to form a novel.

So, if you have real patience, do read the book. Because this book should be read, and yet it felt like I had reached the so-called end, without knowing the beginning and the tangled middle.

Because just like ‘Cameras make you smile’ so does this book…

Author:  V Sanjay Kumar
Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Hachette, India

ISBN : 978-93-5009-720-5

Price: Rs 499